Customer Reviews

Drawn From Memory

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With their debut album "Good Will Out" in 1998, Embrace represented a different vein of Britpop, one far more introspective and less optimistic. Having once claimed they were better than Oasis and Verve combined, they are actually a perfect combination of both. They have mastered the sweeping, orchestral ballads of Verve, but also possess the energetic guitar and superior songwriting of Oasis.

"Drawn From Memory" never received a US release, most likely because their first album, which did, hardly made a dent. The Britpop phenomenon which wonderwalled the US in the late 90s had diminished by the 2000 release of this album. This album was far different, though, and if given the chance I think it would have bowled over the adult alternative Matchbox Twenty lovers of the US.

It is different because is more racous, less solemn. It contains the best hard rock offerings that pop music can offer with "Yeah You", "New Adam New Eve", and "Bunker Song." Embrace has already shown that they had an edgier sound with "All You Good Good People," but this was the first time their songwriting was actually edgy. This album also contains less orchestration and is more stripped down, which allows the songs to sweep on their own merit, without the aid of a string section. There are still some tried-true Embrace orchestral ballads such as "You're Not Alone" and "The Love it Takes." But these ballads are paired with fun, funky songs such as "Hooligan" and "Save Me."

In their second album, Embrace change dramatically from their mainly ballad first album, and move on to create a multi-tonal masterpiece. This album has songs for every mood, and it is successful in these different tones. I recommend this album for the first time listener over their first album, and their third ("Drawn From Memory"). This is the best album to introduce someone to Embrace because it has a range that isn't on their other two albums, and truly displays their songwriting talent.

Embrace is a superior Britpop band. After venturing into the staples of this style such as Oasis, Verve, and the Manic Street Preachers- Embrace is the obvious next choice for your collection.

This is the second album from Embrace and it is wonderfull! It contains melodies and upbeat rock songs. Danny and Richard have done well at making a masterpiece. Track 1.The Love it Takes-Stunning Melody with a brilliant voice and laid back voice. 5/5 Track 2.Youre not Alone-One of the releases from this album. The percussion works wonderfully with Danny McNamara's voice. 5/5 Track 3.Save Me-Fabulous acoustic intro with very catching lyrics and snappy tune. 4/5

Track 4.Drawn From Memory-Title track with superb Piano intro and very lazy vocals. 5/5 Track 5.Bunker Song-Instrumental with good gutiar riffs but a bit of a waste of time. A bad break in a good album. 1/5 Track 6.New Adam New Eve-One of the best beats on the album with superb vocals. 5/5 Track 7.Hooligan-Stunning tune with Richards vocals to match. Check out 1.17 into it it rocks. 5/5 Track 8.Yeah You-Best tune on the album with gutiar riffs to stun even the best players. 7/5 MAGIC! Track 9.Liars Tears-A must for chilling out in the sun with laid back vocals to thrill. 4/5 Track 10.I wouldnt wanna happen to you-Good song with a very catchy tune. 5/5 Track 11. I Had a Time-Very slow with faint vocals 3/5

CHECK OUT THE VIDS FOR HOLLIGAN AND SAVE ME! This album is a must for fans of their debut album. See Ya.

I am just totally baffeled as to why this CD is still only available as an import. While less talented UK bands like Coldplay and Travis are getting U.S. airplay and releases, easily the best rock album of the last year by anyone was almost completely ignored in the U.S. Well, if you haven't bought it yet, you don't have to miss out. If you compare the best songs from this album with the best songs from "The Goodwill Out", in my opinion, things come out fairly equal. But where this album really shines above their debut is that, unlike "The Goodwill Out", just about every song on "Drawn From Memory" is very very good, and the album hangs together well as a complete work of art, rather than just a collection of songs. My favorite is the title track. The piano and clarinet are just incredible even before the song gets going. The when the words and melody come in, it is a transendant experience. Other favorites are "You're Not Alone" (definitely should have been a #1), "Liar's Tears", "I Had A Time", and "I Wouldn't Want To Happen To You", but several other tracks are very enjoyable as well. I just love this album. I didn't know anyone else who had ever even heard of the band, but everyone that I've played this for has fallen in love with it,often deciding to purchase their own copy. Highly recommended.

I was a fan of Embrace's first album and so was expecting big things from DFM. I wasn't disappointed. This is brilliant stuff. They have really broadened their sound with this album. There are less string-orientated ballads and Oasis-esque rockers, these have been replaced by a real variety ranging from sparse acoustic songs, (Liar's Tears) to psychedelic rockers. (New Adam New Eve) Despite the changes the lads have still managed to produce a beautiful, love-themed record. Songs like "The Love it Takes" and "I had a Time" maintain their epic sound, while the title track is one of the finest ballads you'll hear this, or any other, year. Forget Oasis, Get over the Verve, definitely ignore Korn/Limp Bizkit, Embrace make being miserable more uplifting than it has ever been.

This is yet another example of what is so terribly wrong with the American public when it comes to music. If it is not angst ridden or pure sap and cheese nonsense, forget it. American music cannot hold a candle to this. This has heart, soul, power. It is capeable of moving people and hitting people where they are, without the anger or dribble of most US bands. As an american, I am partly saddend by the lack of heart involved in American music.

To the album in question (specifically): PURE LISTENING ENJOYMENT! That is the nuttshell of it all. Now, the details!

Track #1) The song builds to a grand explosion of sound. A nice mellower intro that gently builds to some amazing wah-wah guitars. It gently comes back down to nice calmer music and soothing vocals that lightly fade away. The entire musical spectrum is handled brilliantly.

#2) A beautiful and haunting melody. Horns are introduced throughout as is a string arrangement that ties perfectly with the rock music that leads you away. Perfect musicianship with emotion.

#3) Dare I say the perfect mid-tempo Rock song. Acoustic driven with conga drums weaved throughout. A must have song.

#4) Mellower track. This is a tune handled with piano and clarinet. A pleasent and unexpected surprise.

#5) Transition time. This flys out of the gate at an amazing pace. Total opposite of track 4. This instrumental is a grand jam session, loud and fast, BUT..... under 2 minuets is just not enough.

6) An upbeat and forceful rock song. A great follow-up to #5. Loud and fast.

7) Sugar Ray or Sublime might have borrowed this song from these boys. Fun at its best. The addition of Kazoos and whistling are strange and quirky. Fun, fun, fun!

8) Bam! This is Rock and Roll baby. This is the pinnicle of their noise. Bold, in your face, outright arrogant, however, with just cause!

9) Slower acoustic track layered with keyboards. This allows you to catch your breath a bit.

10) A flawless mid-tempo rocker. Again, the horns compliment the song brilliantly and add depth to the wall of sound. An epic song.

11) Slower closing track. Brushes, clarinet, soft horns and soothing vocals. A pleasent ending to a brilliant 54 + mins.

......In closing, buy this record. Forget comparisons, they are not necessary. I only wish I would have found this sooner, but, then again, it is fresh and new to me. I needed music to rise above the mediocrity and lead the way out of the slums of nu-rock, hip-hop, cheesy pop, repetitive angst ridden garbage (most of what we here today). This did it royally!

With their debut album "Good Will Out" in 1998, Embrace represented a different vein of Britpop, one far more introspective and less optimistic. Having once claimed they were better than Oasis and Verve combined, they are actually a perfect combination of both. They have mastered the sweeping, orchestral ballads of Verve, but also possess the energetic guitar and superior songwriting of Oasis.

"Drawn From Memory" never received a US release, most likely because their first album, which did, hardly made a dent. The Britpop phenomenon which wonderwalled the US in the late 90s had diminished by the 2000 release of this album. This album was far different, though, and if given the chance I think it would have bowled over the adult alternative Matchbox Twenty lovers of the US.

It is different because is more racous, less solemn. It contains the best hard rock offerings that pop music can offer with "Yeah You", "New Adam New Eve", and "Bunker Song." Embrace has already shown that they had an edgier sound with "All You Good Good People," but this was the first time their songwriting was actually edgy. This album also contains less orchestration and is more stripped down, which allows the songs to sweep on their own merit, without the aid of a string section. There are still some tried-true Embrace orchestral ballads such as "You're Not Alone" and "The Love it Takes." But these ballads are paired with fun, funky songs such as "Hooligan" and "Save Me."

In their second album, Embrace change dramatically from their mainly ballad first album, and move on to create a multi-tonal masterpiece. This album has songs for every mood, and it is successful in these different tones. I recommend this album for the first time listener over their first album, and their third ("Drawn From Memory"). This is the best album to introduce someone to Embrace because it has a range that isn't on their other two albums, and truly displays their songwriting talent.

Embrace is a superior Britpop band. After venturing into the staples of this style such as Oasis, Verve, and the Manic Street Preachers- Embrace is the obvious next choice for your collection.

The extra tracks to this album are "I've Been Running" and "I Can't Feel Bad Anymore." To get these tracks you risk paying an additional 20 or so dollars, which they are not worth. B-sides are alterates for a reason, and they are some exceptions to this rule, but very few. "I Can't Feel Bad Anymore" is the same solemn, regretful ballad that could have been found on "Good Will Out" but it offers no new revelations, insightful sorrow. If you loved "Good Will Out" you will love "I Can't Feel Bad Anymore" but it's just the same old, same old. "I've Been Running" is a similar story. My advice is to save your money, the import version will be expensive enough.

If you still want to blow 20 bucks, then a *much* better B-side choice for this album are the "Save Me" remixes, which improve upon the album version, which is too stripped down to really break out to its groove potential. The remixes are nothing short of amazing, and unlike most remixes you can actually distinguish from one another. These are available on the "Save Me" Pt. 2 single. Go for those instead.

I picked this album while I was out of the US, knowing that it would either be unavailable in the states or delayed in its release here. I had some reservations, since their first record didn't grab me like this one did. This album has really grown on me and features an ecclectic mix of songs from piano driven ballads or "slower" songs to all out rockers. At first, the mix of songs threw me off, but it has steadily grown on me. Comparisons to Oasis don't belong. Drawn From Memory is really unique. It shows a lot of growth, and to top it off it has some wonderful hooks. I think these guys have a great pop and rock sensibility.

Kudos to Embrace for making their own music the way they want as varied as they want! Not many bands can pull it off (let alone have the guts to do it) as Embrace does here.

It's unfortunate that this may go severely overlooked with the advent of Coldplay, Travis, SFA, and now Idlewild making waves in the States. Drawn From Memory may not be as successful as these bands in the States, but they belong in the same company. If I bought this album while in South Korea it seems absurd I couldn't pick it up in the US! Not many CDs are worth 24+ dollars, but if you are starving for some good brit pop and don't mind shelling out the green, this is a quality record.

Embrace have grown a lot from their first debut LP "The Good Will Out" which was good but overrated and wasn't a solid album (I found myself listening to select tracks). With "Drawn From Memory" they prove that they aren't just a band of hype and can grow. Their sophomore album has won a cynical fellow like me over.

The album opens with the glorious shiner "The Love It Takes" which sets the tone of the album. "You're Not Alone" has a great trumpet section and builds up to a glorious moment. "Save Me" which I'm surprised wasn't a big single shows the band doing something happy and fun with the chorus-rock sound. "Drawn From Memory" has a beautiful unforgettable piano opening and starts out slow which then gets louder. "Bunker Song" is a regular average guitar instrumental. "Hooligan" is a silly song that can get annoying but still works. "Yeah You" shows the band trying to be a bit rebel and my god the good positive christian boys say the s word. "Liars Tears" is a slow moving bittersweet song that takes awhile to get into. "I Wouldn't Wanna Happen To You" is the best song on the album since the first four tracks. "I Had A Time" ends the album on a beautiful tone.

Overall I'm dead impressed and shocked. I think it will be one of the best of the year 2000.

Just a fantastic fun, deep record from Embrace! This band is really growing in a way it should, adding to the sound that so many of their mates have drown themselves in, the last few years or so. They really have improved from The Good Will Out CD, and that was a great debut. Drawn from Memory runs the sound from quirky pop sing-a-longs, (Hooligan) to somber quiet and hauntings melodies. (Liar's Tears) All in all, this record literally BLOWS the likes of Oasis, Weller and Mansun away. Where the latter struggle with what they're trying to accomplish, Embrace get it over with an effortless delivery of some amazing tunes. This is a disc that will reward the listener months after you think it's peaked. Highly recommended!

When I first listened to it, I thought it fell short of "Good Will Out."

I now, after 5 or so rotations, think it's better. While "Good" had a better headline song in All You Good...., this new one is top to bottom a much better record. One of the better ones to come out this year (just wait for Catherine Wheel, though, that one could be the best).

Enjoy.